And so the four year cycle rolls around again. This pattern was established in 1997 and they have reliably come out with an album every four years ever since. And a “global” tour! HP Saucecraft’ will be relieved to know that Peter Gordeno retains his place in the live set up.
At the press conference in Milan they showed this teaser for the forthcoming album. It’s called “Spirit” and this made me quite excited. Why? Well, it’s new Depeche Mode. Also there seems to be a song called “Revolution” with the words “where’s the revolution? C’mon people, you’re letting me down!” . Not for the first time* they articulate my thoughts exactly.
Anyway, time for about three of us on the Afterword (if that) to get excited.
*there was that time when I just couldn’t get enough hob nobs and ate the whole packet!!!
https://youtu.be/6E1kM0HGovM
The Good Doctor says
Sadly can’t play the clip due to copyright issues and can’t see an official clip on ver Mode’s site.
I like ver Mode and the world is a better place with them in it – but they’re so huge and aloof and enormous and global – sigh – I’d love to produce them – I’d insist they got their old analogue synths out, including Fletch, and made some electro pop tunes in a dingy basement in Basildon.
Black Celebration says
Hmmm – that’s happened to me twice now recently- maybe it’s something to do with where I am.
I hear you re the analogue synths. With the last album, Delta Machine, they bought a bunch from ebay and got them sent to the studio – but I didn’t really hear much evidence of that on the record. I was disappointed with the last one because I gave it the customary 50-odd listens (I don’t usually like a new DM album immediately) and I never warmed to it.
metal mickey says
I can’t see the clip either, but I’m happy to say I’ll be looking forward to something new from the boys, though they seem to have been ploughing pretty much the same furrow since Exciter onwards… Playing The Angel was a recent-ish highlight, simply by virtue of having some memorable tunes, but both Sounds Of The Universe and Delta Machine were at the “meh” end of the spectrum for me… and I know it’s now pretty much their house style, but I got bored of the look & feel of Anton Corbijn’s studied artlessness for their sleeves a long time ago…
Black Celebration says
The last three platters have been produced by Ben Hillier – but this one has James Ford at the desk, so the new one should sound very different. Hope so – because I tend to agree that after Playing the Angel, the two after that didn’t hold many surprises.
retropath2 says
It would be very very good if Soulsavers were the support. I could happily leave at the interval, unconcerned if Gahans voice was not up to the headline act. (Bit harsh, I suppose, as I have just had my first ever listen to a DM album, it being Violator, and I enjoyed it, if unable to totally expel the weedy bedwetters on TOTP in the 80s.)
Black Celebration says
Glad you listened to and liked Violator – honestly, there’s plenty more where that came from.
retropath2 says
I am sure you are right, but prejudice is a hefty hurdle, especially if it based on image more than the sound. I honestly think he is one of the better british vocalists we have and am deeply pissed off that Soulsavers only toured the US with his brace of fabulous outings with them.
Black Celebration says
Yes, the band can’t operate without his distinctive voice and stage presence. During his druggy years he actually thought he wasn’t that important and felt vulnerable. Silly old Dave.
fentonsteve says
I’m afraid I gave up after Violator (which was fab). I’d be in like a shot, though, if Vince came back.
Black Celebration says
I love Vince’s stuff and any hatchets have long been buried (he left in 1981!). However, if that was ever on the cards he would be rejoining a very different band. I just can’t imagine them releasing Erasure-like material now.
Most of us would love to see the return of Alan Wilder though.
Moose the Mooche says
I must be really old. I still genuinely think of Vince Clarke as being “ex-Depeche Mode” in spite of him being in two he-yoooge bands after, not to mention all the remix projects.
Then again one of my favourite contemporary artists is Stephen Duffy, who according to the internet is a bloke who used to be in Duran Duran.
metal mickey says
Wasn’t it in the old Word mag that Caitlin Moran wrote an article about how Stephen Duffy was on his uppers and staying/living in her spare room when he got the gig to co-write with Robbie Williams, made a fortune, and never needed to work again…? Good for him…
Moose the Mooche says
Oh that’s the other thing. He made an album with Robbie…..there really is more to him than that.*
It’s like “Elvis Costello…. he was in an R Whites commercial, and later wrote an album for that bird out of Transvision Vamp”
(*it’s a bloody good album, though but!)
fentonsteve says
Surely, then, it’s time for that difficult 25-year reunion?
I was more of an Assembly/Yazoo than DM fan post-81. I even bought the Robert Marlow singles, and the Peter Pan album (when it was eventually released).
Black Celebration says
Wouldn’t that be 35 years? 🙂
Doesn’t really call for a smiley face does it? Terrifying. 🙁
fentonsteve says
Crikey, we are getting old… and evidently I’m becoming innumerate.
Black Celebration says
That makes three of us.
metal mickey says
Ho ho!
That reminds me of that joke – there are 10 sorts of people in the world; those who understand binary numbers, and those who don’t…
MC Escher says
Or (on a T-tshirt I saw last weekend)
There are two types of people in this world:
1. Those who can extrapolate from incomplete data